Description
The Illinois State Technical Assistance Center division of the School Association for Special Education in DuPage (SASED) will conduct a four-year project entitled Illinois Character Education Positive Supports (ICEPS) in partnership with Loyola University of Chicago. This initiative will involve Three-Tiered Prevention Support Teams in curricular integration and implementation, evaluation, and replication of a whole-school instructional character education model. Teachers and school staff will be trained to implement ICEPS to improve positive student character and behaviors. Implementers will identify problematic and desirable behaviors related to character development and student achievement; develop character education supports, reflect on leadership practice, and create character education curricula and instruction. The project will serve 812 teachers, administrators and school staff, 14,881 students, and 500 parents at eight project high-need high schools; and will involve 80 community and business leaders. The eight schools will be chosen based on high truancy and poverty rates, low graduation rates and low percentage of students meeting Illinois Learning Standards.

Goals and Objectives

To increase the ability of students to demonstrate positive character traits that support effective behaviors and academic achievement (e.g. 30% fewer negative school discipline incidents and 20% decrease in negative contacts with the police department), increases in students' yearly academic progress and participation in community service

To increase the ability of parents and community leaders to aid in the implementation of ICEPS to improve positive student character and behaviors, to meet the needs of children in adopting and reinforcing positive character traits, and to provide activities that increase the satisfaction of students with their quality of life

Evaluation Design
DuPage County will use a quasi-experimental evaluation design with an interrupted time series analysis. Quantitative and qualitative performance assessment will include measures such as teacher and student observations, pre-post surveys and questionnaires, a youth and family checklist, student grades and standardized test scores, and office disciplinary referrals.